Combined flashlight and battery



May 9, 1961 E. D. O'BRIAN COMBINED FLASHLIGHT AND BATTERY Filed Oct. 2, 1958 INVENTOR. Eon/Aka D. OISE/AN United States The present invention relates to new and improved combined flashlights and battery combinations.

The present day flashlight constructions, although sold at a nominal cost, tend to be comparatively complex and expensive. Because of this, it is believed that certain comparatively large markets are commercially unavailable for these structures. Specifically, it is believed that the comparative complexity and cost of a present day flashlight prohibit or severely limit the sale of these flashlights as playthings for children or as essentially throw-away items for adult use.

The present day flashlights are normally built so as to include a housing upon which there is mounted a switch, a light bulb, a reflector and a lens. Such a housing is normally adapted to hold one or more common flashlight batteries, usually of the so-called Lechanche cell variety. The commercial importance of batteries of this type cannot be underestimated. It is believed that about 30 million conventional flashlight batteries of the Lechanche cell variety are sold per year.

A number of different efforts have been made so as to depart from the conventional flashlight construction. As an example of this a number of different types of holders have been designed which are intended to be mounted upon an end of a conventional dry cell so that these holders in effect form the operative part or parts of a flashlight. Structures of this broad category do not appear to have been commonly used. It is believed that many of these structures have not fallen into wide use because of their comparative complexity. Other of these structures are considered to have been unacceptable from a broad commercial standpoint because of the fact that they do not include as an integral part of them an adequate reflector and because of the fact that they are not designed so as to achieve eflicient space utilization.

A broad object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved type of combined flashlight and battery. A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a combined flashlight and battery in which there is practically no useless or wasted volume of space. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a combined flashlight and battery which can be produced comparatively inexpensively, which is comparatively light in weight, and which is capable of being used as a disposable or throw-away item.

Because of the nature of this invention it is not considered necessary to set forth in this specification a further long list of various objects or advantages of the invention. Such other objects and advantages of the inatent O vention will be fully apparent from a detailed considera- Patented May 9, 1961 of a modified combined flashlight and battery of this invention; and

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken at line 3-3 of Fig. 3.

The accompanying drawing is intended primarily for the purpose of illustration and explanation. It is not to be taken as limiting this invention in any respect inasmuch as a number of details of the structure of this invention can be varied without changing or departing from the basic or essential nature of this invention as hereinafter set forth. As an example of such details various equivalent types of seals can be employed with the structures of this invention, and, further, a combined flashlight and battery of this invention can be built in the manner indicated in this specification using a wide variety of different battery systems.

In order to understand the invention it may be stated in essentially summary form that it concerns combined flashlight and battery constructions, each of which is formed so as to include inner and outer electrode members spaced from one another by what can be termed electrolyte means. These electrolyte means are held in place between the electrodes by two different seals or sealants. An important feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the inner electrode member employed is provided with a concave surface capable of serving as a reflector and is provided with a centrally located bulb holder which is adapted to hold a common flashlight bulb in such a manner that the bulb cooperates with the reflective surface in the established manner and in such a manner that the base of the bulb is engaged by the outer electrode member so as to establish electrical contact with it. This outer electrode member can be formed so that the bulb is in direct contact with it, or in indirect contact with it through the use of a switch means as hereinafter described.

The precise nature of this construction will be more fully apparent from a detailed consideration of the accompanying drawing. In Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a simple combined flashlight and battery 10 of the present invention which includes correspondingly shaped inner and outer electrode members 12 and 14, each of which is formed of common sheet steel or the equivalent by various known techniques. As shown, both of these electrodes have essentially a concave appearance. The inner electrode 12 is provided with a concave surface 16 which may be formed or otherwise treated in accordance with known techniques so as to be of reflective character. At its center the inner electrode 12 is formed so as to include a small, internally threaded cylinder 18 which is adapted to engage the threads 20 upon a common flashlight light bulb 22 so as to hold this bulb in place in such a manner that light rays from it are reflected in the desired manner from the surface 16. The base 24 of this bulb 22 is, with this construction, in direct contact with a small bump 26 formed in the center of the outer electrode 14 when the combined structure 10 is used.

With this construction the electrodes 12 and 14 are insulated from one another around the cylinder 18 by means of a small ring 28 of sealant material, such as common pitch or various known plastics capable of achieving a satisfactory bond to the electrodes 12 and 14. A similar ring 30 of sealant is located at the outer edges of the electrodes 12 and 14 for the same purpose. These two rings 28 and 30 serve to hold the electrodes 12 and 14 apart so as to define between them an internal cavity (not numbered) within which there is a layer 32 of a. manganese dioxide-graphite mixture of a known type commonly used in a Lechanche cell. In a cell of this type a small layer 34 of carbon is located directly against the inner electrode 12 so as to be in electrical contact with it, and a layer 36 of paste of a known type is located immediately adjacent to the hidden surface of the outer electrode 14. Preferably, in order to complete the battery system this outer electrode 14 is provided with a layer 38 of zinc plated upon the outer electrode 14. If desired, however, the outer electrode 14 can be formed directly of zinc or can be formed of a sheet of zinc, or can be formed of a washer of zinc laminated as by pressing against a steel electrode.

With the combined flashlight and battery an on-oif switch type of action is achieved merely by screwing the bulb 22 into or out of the cylinder 18 serving as a bulb holder. This type of switch action is, of course, very inexpensive, but serves adequately well for a structure of this type which is designed to be used as a cereal premium or as a toy or as a disposable throw-away item.

It is possible to modify the structure of the flashlight and battery 10 in a number of diflerent ways. Thus, for example, the inner electrode 12 can be formed as the anode and the outer electrode 14 as the cathode by merely reversing the order in which the various layers enumerated are positioned within the structure. Similarly it is possible to vary this type of structure so as to use a wide variety of different battery systems, such as are set out in the article by Morehouse et al., entitled Batteries appearing in the August 1958 issue of the Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers, page 1462.

Those skilled in the art to which this invention per-' tains will realize how substitution'of such a battery system may be easily made. An important item of the present invention is, however, the fact that the two electrodes are of a similar curvature and that the inner electrode serves directly as a reflector as well as serving a function as a part of the battery system, either directly or indirectly. The outer electrode also serves in this manner.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of this drawing there is shown a combined flashlight and battery 50 which is very similar to the structure 10 previously described. This combined flashlight and battery contains an inner electrode 52 and an outer electrode 54, both formed out of sheets of steel or the like as previously indicated. A reflective surface 56 is located on the inner electrode 52 and at its'center there is located a small cylinder 58 serving as a bulb holder. This cylinder is not, however, threaded, but is provided with a series of bumps 60 serving as a bayonet type of connection for a correspondingly shaped flashlight bulb 62.

With this construction the base 64 of the bulb is adapted to be placed in electrical contact with the outer electrode 54 through the use of a metal sliding strip 66 serving as a switch actuator or switch. The strip 66 is held within a slot 68 located against the outer electrode 54 between the electrodes 52 and 54, and is held in electrical contact with this outer electrode 54 by means of spring-like shoulders 79 formed on the outer electrode 54. The strip 66 includes a bump-like portion 72 hav ing knurled exterior which extends from the slot 68 through an opening 74 in the outer electrode 54. When the portion 72 is engaged by the thumb or other portion of the hand the strip 66 may be caused to be moved within the slot 68 so as to position this portion 72 directly opposite the base 64 in which case the combined flashlight and battery 50 is ofl. When his moved slightly to one side as shown in the drawing, it is in electrical contact with the base 64 and the combined flashlight and battery is on since electrical contact is established between the electrodes 52 and 54 through the bulb 62.

With the combined flashlight and battery 50 a ring 76 of sealant material is located around the cylinder 58 and the slot 68 so as to help define this slot and so as to hold various materials as hereinafter set forth between the electrodes 52 and 54. With this construction, if desired, synthetic rubber or other equivalent'deformable seal 78 rect contact with a layer 86 of a graphite-manganese dioxide mixture which in turn is in contact with a paste layer 88 which in turn is in contact with heavy zinc plating 90 located upon the outer electrode 54. The order of these layers may, of course, be reversed, and if desired, various changes of the type previously discussed may be made in the combined flashlight and battery 50.

With the combined flashlight and battery 50 several auxiliary expedients are illustrated in order to increase the utility of this construction. A portion of the flange extending from the inner electrode 52 is, with this construction, brought out and bent so as to form a clamplike handle 92 having a flat surface 94 designed to support the combined flashlight and battery 50 in an upright position when it is located upon the ground or the like. Further, a small styrene protective lens 96 having an outer flange 98 may be held upon the inner electrode 52 as shown so that the flange 98 resiliently grips the flange 80. These or similar expedients can also be used with the combined construction 10.

Those-skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will realize that structures of the type described are not limited to batteries utilizing what, in etfect, is only a single cell. Thus, it ispossible to provide a combined flashlight and battery construction of this invention in which the spaces between the inner and outer electrodes are consumed by a stack of elements-comprising two or more battery cells. The general nature of such a stack of cell elements is indicated in Fig. 3, appearing on page 1466 of the aforenoted article. Such a stack of elements formed in the general shape of washers is used with the invention wherever more than the voltage from a single cell is desired.

With such a construction it isnecessary that an inner and outer electrode be formed as herein described so as to provide suflicient rigidity for the complete battery and flashlight combination, If desired, one or both. of the electrode members employed with a construction as herein described can be formed of an appropriate plastic material such as styrene coated'with an appropriate metal or other conductor in accordance with known techniques, or provided with a known type of reflective coating.

Those skilled in the art towhich this invention pertains.

will also realize-that a large number of different types of switches can be substituted for the particular switch connection herein shown and described. They will also realize that this, invention is particularly advantageous inasmuch; as virtuallyevery part of the structure herein described contributes both to the effectiveness of these structures as a battery and as a flashlight. Thus, dual utility is inherent inthe structures of this invention since one electrode member of the invention serves as a reflector and since the other member of thestrueture aids in achieving structural rigidity and, in effect; provides a part of the housing. Because of the nature of this'invention it is to be consideredas being limited only bythe appended claims forming a part of this disclosure.

7 I claim: a

1. A combined flashlight and battery which includes: a sheet like inner metal electrode member having a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface, the center portion of said inner electrode being formed so as to include a centrally located aperture surrounded by a portion of said inner electrode serving as a bulb holder, said portion of said inner'electrode including means for holding a light bulb, the inner surface of said inner electrode member being reflective in character so as' to be capable of serving as a reflector for a light bulb held by said means for holding; a sheet like outer metal electrode member having a concave inner surface located parallel to and spaced from said outer surface of said inner electrode member and having a convex outer surface serving as the outside of said combined flashlight and battery, the center portion of said outer metal electrode member being located adjacent to and spaced from the center portion of said inner metal electrode member so as to be engaged by a part of a light bulb held by said means for holding, the outside edges of said electrode members being located adjacent to and spaced from one another; first electrically non-conductive sealing means located between said electrode members at the outer edges thereof, said first sealing means forming a seal extending completely around the peripheries of said electrode members between the outer edges of said electrode members; second electrically nonconductive sealing means located between said electrode members adjacent to the center portions thereof, said second sealing means surrounding said center portions of said electrode members and forming a seal between said electrode members around said center portions; means, including electrolyte means, for forming a battery system in conjunction with said electrode members located in layers between said electrode members so as to be in contact therewith in the space between said electrode members and said first and said second sealing means.

2. A combined flashlight and battery as defined in claim 1 wherein said outer electrode member includes switch means for use in electrically connecting and disconnecting said electrode members through a light bulb held by said means for holding, located on the center portion of said outer electrode member.

3. A combined flashlight and battery as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for forming a battery system include: a carbon layer located against one of said electrode members so as to be in electrical contact therewith; a graphite manganese dioxide mixture layer located against said carbon layer, and a paste separator layer located against said mixture layer and a second layer located against said paste layer and the other of said electrode members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,200,366 Kerlin Oct. 3, 1916 1,310,763 Maranda July 22, 1919 1,327,017 Bolshauser Jan. 6, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS 221,858 Great Britain Sept. 16, 1924 

